Front Gallery at Woods Street Arts Space

Current exhibition: 22 May until 6 August

Perspectives in Paper by Manny Sison

'Paper - in as much as it is versatile, it's also very fragile. If you cut a piece you're not meant to, you have to start all over again. There's no undo button.'

This exhibition explores the different ways in which loneliness, anxiety and bottling up emotions can impact one’s mental health.

Manny is inspired by his Bulacan heritage and a decorative paper-cutting style called pabalat. Patterns are hand-cut onto streamer-like pieces of paper which are attached to pastillas or milk candies, for decoration. Manny incorporates elements of the pabalat aesthetic into his art, using these intricate shapes to tell stories within the patterns.

These pieces were created as part of the Art Bomb program run by the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network. Art Bomb engages local artists within the community who have experienced mental health challenges to raise awareness for suicide prevention. By sharing their stories and art these artists challenge our perception of mental health, the difficult but critically important subject of suicide, and of trauma and recovery.

If you, or someone you know needs support, Medicare Mental Health delivers free mental health support across Australia. Find a location near you, or make a free call to the national phone service on 1800 595 212.

About the artist

Manny ‘The Papernaut’ Sison is a paper artist and illustrator based in the western suburbs of Naarm. His work explores a range of themes from a deep love and appreciation for pop culture, to more personal experiences that speak on mental health awareness and love.

instagram.com/thepapernaut

‘Lifeline’ is a piece that explores how hard it can be to reach out for help when things are not okay. I went through a tough time a few years ago and found it difficult to be proactive about my healing. It felt like I was constantly being dragged down by my depression and didn’t believe I would ever surface. Fortunately, I have an amazing support network that stuck by me and encouraged me to seek professional help. My three closest mates, the ones who have been there since the beginning of my transformative journey, are the seagulls in this piece.

‘Behind the Post’ is a commentary piece on the negative impact social media platforms can have on our mental health. I burnt out last year from trying to maintain a consistent presence here on Instagram... Stepping away from this space for six months and prioritising my mental health gave me perspective. I came back with a healthier mindset and approach to being here. You never really know what people are going through offline.